IMAX

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IMAX Countdown / Entertainment Experience

IMAX brings excellence to the cinema in the form of unparalleled audio and visual capabilities. Their countdown, which precedes all IMAX pictures, showcases the full audio range that drives the dynamic power of every IMAX experience.

The Big Picture

We’ve all gone to IMAX movies for years, but do viewers ever think about the power of the technology driving the experience? At a time when IMAX was getting ready to introduce revolutionary new projector and sound systems for their flagship theaters, they sought to receive credit for the amazing experiences they offer their audiences. The challenge was brought to Man Made Music to tell IMAX’s transformational story by pushing the limits of their new technology and truly delivering an exhilarating experience for the audience before every film that only IMAX could offer.

The Challenge

Dive Deeper

In 2015, the entertainment giant wanted to globalize, and gain consistency and continuity around their messaging as it transformed from an ingredient brand to an experiential brand. Man Made was tasked with bringing a unique sonic experience that could flex for IMAX content across genres, from action packed cinematic epics to thoughtful documentaries shown in museums. The countdown, which premiers before each film, needed to draw you in and transport audiences to surprising and vibrant worlds.

The Approach

Our Vision

Pulling from a vibrant hybrid of sound and instrumentation that defines the intense, unexpected, and experiential journey that is distinctly IMAX, Man Made created a new theme to play before screenings of IMAX movies. Taking it beyond traditional surround sound, the score was created to envelope the audience with 12 channels of audio in the walls and ceiling, unmatched in frequency and dynamic range. The anthem was recorded with a 150-piece orchestra and a 75-person choir, buttressed by a number of electronic elements — for a total of 225 musicians. At this intersection of technology and storytelling, Man Made delivered what was then nicknamed ‘the world’s biggest bass drop’ – showcasing the highest highs and the lowest lows that the unparalleled IMAX system allows.

The Results

Impact and Value

The story of IMAX and their dogged pursuit to push the bounds of the cinema can now be expressed across the brand with an attention grabbing countdown and an arsenal of genre specific arrangements. The countdown plays across 1000+ theaters in 65 countries, resulting in over 1.4 million showings world wide.